CONVICTED (2020) | Martin Davidson, born 12/10/1995, of 23 Abbotsford Road, Lochore, Lochgelly KY5 8DT- trained four dogs to violently bait wild animals including badgers; failed to treat his dogs’ fighting injuries
Davidson kept videos of his dogs viciously attacking foxes and sickeningly posed for pictures with the injured or dead animals.
The father-of-two trained his dogs for animal fighting including badger baiting.
He pleaded guilty to the charge along with failing to provide veterinary treatment to an injured dog in his care.
Davidson was investigated by the Scottish SPCA after the charity received intelligence about his behaviour.
Three of the dogs involved in the case were male, brindle coloured bull lurchers named Tramp, Mojo and Sid. The other was a female, white and tan, Staffordshire bull terrier named Lady.
The dogs were found injured as a result of the hunting and are now in the care of the SSPCA where they will be rehabilitated.
An SSPCA special investigations unit undercover inspector, who cannot be named, said: “We received intelligence that Davidson was keeping and training dogs for the purposes of animal fighting.
“We obtained a search warrant and gained entry to the home of Davidson where we found the four dogs.
“The Staffordshire bull terrier, Lady, was in the house. She had significant scarring to her muzzle and lower jaw. These injuries are consistent with animal fighting, in particular badger baiting.
“The three lurchers were found outdoors in a kennel and run in the rear garden, far too small for their size and breed. Two had obvious, fresh injuries to their ears and heads.
“We also found animal fighting paraphernalia at Davidson’s residence.
“This included hunting gear, blood-stained wellies and a spot lamp commonly using for lamping with dogs, which is hunting at night.
“Multiple images were discovered of his dogs pictured with dead animals at night. Some featured the dogs viciously gripping foxes between their jaws.
“During interview, Davidson admitted that the four dogs were not registered with a vet and did not receive any medication or treatment to ease their suffering from any of the injuries they had sustained
“Other photos showed Lady, Tramp, Mojo and Sid in the back of Davidson’s vehicle at night with fresh injuries. Our expert vets determined these were consistent with animal fighting, specifically with badgers and foxes.
“The disregard that Davidson had for the welfare of the wild animals he forced his dogs to fight, and for his own dogs, is unfathomable. The dogs are in our care and are currently receiving the rehabilitation they need.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown told Davidson: “You kept dogs for fighting and you kept them in conditions which were unsuitable to the extent that you weren’t meeting their needs properly.
“It’s been well known, because it gets publicity, that hunting with dogs, which appears to have been the reason for getting these dogs, is illegal.
“Beyond that, it’s perfectly clear to anyone with a grain of sense that there is substantial public disapproval of hunting with dogs, of dog fighting and failing to take care of dogs within your care.
“What you were doing was entirely unregulated – keeping dogs for fighting is reprehensible as well as criminal, and keeping animals in conditions in which there are harmed is deplorable.”
However, Sheriff Brown stopped short of a prison sentence after hearing Davidson previously served jail time for another matter, adding it was “regrettable” that this case had not been heard at the same time.
Davidson’s lawyer Alexander Flett of Martin Johnston & Socha solicitors in Dunfermline said his client had been dealt a “harsh lesson”, alluding to the fact that his previous court appearance had sparked “unwelcome attention” from animal rights activists.
Sara Shaw, head of the wildlife and environmental crime unit said: “Dog fighting is a cruel illegal activity which causes terrible and unnecessary suffering to animals.
“I welcome today’s sentence and the granting of the order preventing Martin Davidson from keeping any animal for five years.
“COPFS will continue to work to ensure those who participate in this barbaric practice are prosecuted and would encourage anyone who may have information on dog fighting to contact the police or the Scottish SPCA.”
Sentencing: 160 hours of unpaid work. Banned from keeping dogs for five years (expires October 2025).
Update 17/10/2020:
Davidson was back in the dock where he pleaded guilty to possessing two air weapons at his home without holding a certificate for them.
The air guns were found during a raid by the Scottish SPCA in September 2019.
Sheriff James MacDonald imposed a community payback order with 60 hours of unpaid work.
I hope the courts Jail him for as long as they can. And he calls himself a man. Just Scum. That’s all he is.
Another Mentally Disturbed Scum.
A Bit Of Work He Needs.
He Wouldn’t Have The Energy To Go Lamping As They Call It.
I Feel Sorry For His Children. They Are Not Safe With This Disturbed Father. Social Services Will Be Informed. The Children and His Family, Now Risk Being Bullied Out The Street and In School. The Shame He Has Brought On His Children and Family.
sickening evil man. So glad the dogs are away from that hell hole. His partner clearly needs glasses to see the horrific injuries his dogs had. Shes as evil as him and the pair of scumbags have kids! poor children living with that wicked pair.
Hope local people key an eye out for any more dogs they have and report them to the police and sspca.
Rot in hell scumbags. theres a place in hell especially for you
What the hell! Should be a lifetime ban and a prison sentence.
You are fucked up assholes for even thinking about having your dogs fight they are pets asswipes i hope you get time and alot of it you deserve everything you get coming to you and more ROT IN HELL